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Main, News...
Conduct policy talks marked by conflict
Commissioners approve guidelines after hours of tension-filled debate
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 26, 2025
Ouray County commissioners spent six hours debating two new policies – specifying how they should treat each other and the public – in meetings last week and this week that devolved into the type of c...
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Library seeks support for expansion
News
Library seeks support for expansion
New foundation forms to raise money for $1.6M Ouray project
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
March 26, 2025
When Jerry Hellman wants to read a book, he buys one — he’d rather read it on his own time than have to rush to return it to the Ouray Public Library. His wife, Bonnie, though, is a loyal library patr...
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County: Forest Service violated federal law
News
County: Forest Service violated federal law
Letter alleges agency failed to follow proper procedures before Crystal Reservoir drawdown
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 26, 2025
Ouray County leaders sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service arguing the agency violated the National Environmental Policy Act when it partially drained Crystal Reservoir and proposed permanently rem...
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News
County rejects tax refund request
Owner of building without water, electricity irate after assessor classifies land as commercial
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 26, 2025
Ouray County commissioners refused a Ridgway property owner's request for a tax refund and asked him to leave the room for disorderly conduct during a meeting Tuesday. Brent Kimball lives in the 127-y...
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News
Museums ask town for help with expansion, easement problems
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 26, 2025
Leaders of the Ouray County Ranch History Museum and the Ridgway Railroad Museum have asked the Ridgway Town Council for help moving along expansion plans on their shared property, saying they’ve reac...
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News
Safety solutions sought for backcountry road
County leaders to invest in more avalanche risk signs, revisit possibility of creating new parking area
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 26, 2025
Ouray County leaders agreed to invest in better signs and revisit talks about a new parking area to make County Road 361 safer for users including recreationists, mine operators and county road and br...
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NORTH FORK INVITATIONAL
News
NORTH FORK INVITATIONAL
March 26, 2025
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News
CORRECTION
March 26, 2025
An article in the March 20 edition about a plan to control prairie dogs at Top of the Pines mispelled the last name of Elk Meadows resident Scott Layton.
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News
Padgett asks county to pay legal fees
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
March 24, 2025
Ouray County Commissioner Lynn Padgett is asking the county to pay nearly $11,000 for the attorney she hired after the county road and bridge superintendent filed a harassment complaint against her la...
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News
Critics to rally after postal service announces plans to change service
By Plaindealer Staff 
March 20, 2025
U.S. Postal Service employees and community members plan to rally in Grand Junction this afternoon (March 20) in response to the agency’s plan to reduce mail delivery service in rural areas. The Posta...
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City pays $120K to settle lawsuit
Main, News...
City pays $120K to settle lawsuit
Fired police chief Wood agrees to drop claim; Ouray denies wrongdoing
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
March 20, 2025
The city of Ouray and its insurer paid former Police Chief Jeff Wood $120,000 to settle the wrongful termination and defamation lawsuit he filed against the city last year. City officials agreed to th...
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Man takes plea deal in sex assault
Main, News...
Man takes plea deal in sex assault
Scranton pleads guilty to reduced charges, will receive prison
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
A Ridgway man has pleaded guilty to reduced charges in a sex assault case in exchange for a sentence of one to six years in prison. Brian Scranton, 49, waived his right to a jury trial and will be con...
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Prairie dog control plan renews concerns
News
Prairie dog control plan renews concerns
Residents object asTop of the Pines seeks county permission to use lethal fumigation
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
Editor’s note: This story has been edited to correctly spell Scott Layton's name.  Top of the Pines leadership asked for permission from Ouray County on Tuesday to use lethal fumigation to reduce its ...
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News
Draft agreement to combine fire, EMS services unveiled
Basic details on staffing, funding still to be hammered out
By By Lia Salvatierra and Mike Wiggins lia@ouraynews.com mike@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
The Ridgway Fire Protection District board of directors and Ouray City Council took a first look Monday night at a document outlining how five entities could combine into one overarching fire and emer...
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News
DA elevates charges in sex assault case
Grand jury indicts two men on more serious felony counts
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
Prosecutors have elevated the charges for two men in an alleged sexual assault case, after presenting a case in front of a grand jury. The indictment filed in district court shows higher- level felony...
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News
Vote to spend more on signs postponed
City wants explanation from firm who left $3,600 item out of $300K bid
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
A frustrated Ouray City Council tabled a decision Monday night whether to give a Minneapolis company another $3,600 to make a prototype base for the $300,833 worth of signs the city purchased last yea...
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News
Fire, EMS providers seek to keep 911 fees local
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
Ouray County fire departments and emergency services providers are calling on county residents to ensure their telephone bills are linked to their county addresses, helping fund local emergency servic...
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Forecasts mixed at State of River meeting
News
Forecasts mixed at State of River meeting
Ridgway Reservoir expected to fill this year, but experts caution about growing water demands
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
Ridgway Reservoir is predicted to fill this year and current forecasts show the Uncompahgre River Basin is in better shape for water supply than some other watersheds in the Gunnison River Basin and e...
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County begins pricy rockfall mitigation
News
County begins pricy rockfall mitigation
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
Ouray County plans to spend $114,000 to mitigate additional rockfall on County Road 361 after large boulders crashed onto the road earlier this month, closing it indefinitely and causing county offici...
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A PLUCKY VENTURE
Main, News...
A PLUCKY VENTURE
As bird flu drives up egg prices, the Lancasters find growing their flock is, in fact, all it's cracked up to be
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 12, 2025
Roosted on the stoop of their honor-code farm stand, Julie and Timothy Lancaster described how they accidentally became one of Ouray County’s largest commercially licensed egg farms. It all began with...
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Editor Picks
News
City attorney resigns
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
September 5, 2025
Ouray City Attorney Carol Viner is retiring from her position with the city after nearly a decade. During a Sept. 2 city council meeting, Mayor Ethan Funk said the city will rely on Glenwood Springs-b...
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City seeks options to reduce wildfire danger, without federal funds
News
City seeks options to reduce wildfire danger, without federal funds
Ouray launches committee to find local solutions
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
September 5, 2025
Ouray city leaders are exploring other ways to address dead, fallen trees littering neighborhoods and hillsides now that it's unclear when a large-scale, federally funded wildfire mitigation project w...
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No ifs, ands or bucks
Main, News...
No ifs, ands or bucks
September 3, 2025
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Senator gets earful from local leaders
Main, News...
Senator gets earful from local leaders
In face of funding turmoil, Hickenlooper urges officials to find creative solutions
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
September 3, 2025
U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper encouraged local nonprofit leaders and public officials to persevere, find ways to do more with less money and look for opportunities to change systems during a visit to Ou...
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Reality varies from initial vision
News
SPACE TO CREATE: THREE YEARS LATER
Reality varies from initial vision
Is Ouray County's first affordable housing project a success? It depends on who you ask.
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
September 3, 2025
Three years after Space to Create opened in Ridgway, Ouray County’s affordable housing guinea pig is a bit of a mixed bag for residents and the public. The 30-unit apartment building on Clinton Street...
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Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

Ouray County Plaindealer
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Ridgway, Colorado 81432
970-325-4412

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